Written Answers Thursday 19 June 2008

Scottish Executive

Animal Welfare

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had regarding the implications for Scotland of the European Commission’s Animal Health Strategy for the European Union 2007-2013.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government’s Chief Veterinary Officer and other officials have had a number of discussions with European Commission officials during the development of the Animal Health Strategy. We look forward to seeing its publication shortly.

Care of Elderly People

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the UK Health and Social Care Bill has any implications for care homes in Scotland, with particular regard to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Shona Robison: The UK Health and Social Care Bill proposes to include the provision of certain care home services purchased by a local authority from an independent care home provider within the definition of a function of a public nature for the purposes of the Human Rights Act 1998. The application of the Human Rights Act is a reserved matter and the proposal would extend to the United Kingdom.

Care of Elderly People

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that covert medication is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and whether it intends to review its use in care homes.

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers concealing antipsychotic drugs in the food of care home residents to be a breach of their human rights.

Shona Robison: The revised Code of Practice on Part 5 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, published on 11 March 2008, notes that the use of covert medication is permissible only in certain limited circumstances, for example to safeguard the health of an adult who is unable to consent to the treatment in question and where other alternatives have been explored and none are practicable. The revised code of practice can be accessed at:

  http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2008_11.pdf.

  The code of practice refers practitioners considering the use of covert medication to guidance documents prepared by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (MWC): Consent to Treatment (2006) and Covert Medication – a Legal and Practice Guide (2006). Both documents are available on the MWC’s website at http://www.mwcscot.org.uk/GoodPractice/GoodPracticeintro.asp.

  The European Convention on Human Rights was incorporated into domestic law by the Human Rights Act 1998. It is open to an individual who believes that his or her rights under the convention have been breached by a public authority to bring an action against that authority in the Scottish courts.

  The Care Commission and the MWC are working together to examine the issue of chemical restraint and consent in the administration of medicines in care homes for older people, including a series of focused inspections of care homes to be undertaken later this year. We will consider the findings when the organisations report.

Central Heating Programme

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating units under the central heating programme were fitted from May 2007 to May 2008.

Stewart Maxwell: Information is held by financial year. From 1 April 2007 until 31 March 2008, 14,377 central heating systems were installed in the private sector.

  From 1 April until 31 May 2008, a total of 2,691 central heating systems have been installed in the private sector.

Central Heating Programme

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households entitled to central heating units in 2008-09 under the existing central heating programme will cease to be entitled under the proposed new scheme.

Stewart Maxwell: All householders who were eligible for the central heating programme before the Cabinet Secretary’s announcement of 22 May remain eligible.

Child Protection

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to set up a fund to compensate victims of historical abuse.

Adam Ingram: None. However, the Scottish Government will be consulting later this year on the possibility of a truth and reconciliation forum in Scotland for victims of historic abuse. The consultation will seek views on whether financial redress should be a feature of such an approach.

Children and Young People

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is taking forward the development of a national representative body for parents.

Maureen Watt: On 7 June, we ran a national conference for parents and Parent Councils which attracted around 150 delegates from all over Scotland. The Cabinet Secretary addressed the conference and made clear that it is not for government to take snap decisions and impose our view of a national body on parents before they are ready to decide what they want. What she did promise was to reflect on what conference delegates had said and suggest, in a post conference report that would be sent to all Parent Councils, how best the government could offer support in helping to establish a national body for parents.

Class Sizes

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools in deprived areas of Glasgow have class sizes of more than 25 in primaries one to three.

Fiona Hyslop: That would depend on how we define deprived areas, but for example if we consider schools where 40% or more of pupils are registered for free school meals, Glasgow has 84 such schools, of which 32 have P1 to P3 classes over 25.

Common Good Fund

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to local government as to its duties anent the stewardship of common good funds.

John Swinney: A letter to all directors of finance of Scotland’s local authorities was issued by Scottish Government officials on 12 March 2007, reminding them of their statutory, and non-statutory duties and existing supporting guidance. This included the supporting guidance to the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1973, and the statutory guidance on best value, which applies to local authorities’ stewardship of all assets and funds, including those held under the common good.

  The Local Authorities (Scotland) Accounts Advisory Committee has recently issued revised guidance to all local authorities on the financial reporting and registration of common goods assets, Accounting for the Common Good: A guidance note for practitioners, December 2007.

Common Good Fund

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5390 by John Swinney on 17 October 2007, how the review of asset management across the public sector will apply to common good funds; when such a review is to (a) commence and (b) report, and whether that report will be made public.

John Swinney: The review of asset management across the public sector encompasses several distinct pieces of work:

  The Scottish Government asset management review, which looked at the Scottish Government own built estate, was carried out last year, reported to me in January 2008 and was published on 30 January 2008. It is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/01/AMR.

  A review of asset management by local authorities also carried out by the Improvement Service for Local Government in 2007, and their report entitled Property Asset Management in Scotland’s Councils was published on 19 March 2008 and is available on their website.

  The Improvement Service for Local Government has also carried out a separate study of the management of common goods assets and funds. Their report is currently being finalised and due to be published imminently.

Courts

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13585 by Kenny MacAskill on 5 June 2008, what criteria are used to calculate the amount of money collected from each commission area district court that is forwarded to HM Treasury.

Kenny MacAskill: Information on the amount of money collected by each commission area district court and forwarded to HM Treasury is provided to the Scottish Government by the individual local authorities in each commission area. They do not detail the specific criteria they have used in making these returns, however the basis on which money could be retained or forwarded in 2006-07 and previous years was as follows:

  Local authorities were allowed to retain all income from fiscal fines and from fines imposed upon conviction for common law offences. They also retained a set proportion of income received for fixed penalty notices for certain road traffic offences. This proportion was set at 10%, but increased to 33% in the case of penalties for stationary vehicles where the fine became registered. Money received from fines imposed upon conviction for statutory offences was forwarded to HM Treasury, as was the balance of fixed penalty notice payments for road traffic offences.

Courts

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13585 by Kenny MacAskill on 5 June 2008, how much was collected from each commission area, broken down by type of crime.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

Courts

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13585 by Kenny MacAskill on 5 June 2008, what percentage of money forwarded to HM Treasury from Scottish commission areas is used in Scotland.

Kenny MacAskill: This is a matter for HM Treasury. The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government.

Crime

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of vandalism has been over the last five years, also broken down by local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.

Crofting

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many crofters submitted applications to the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme in 2006 before the deadline of 31 December 2006 without having in place the necessary economic status test documentation and, of this number, how many were (a) rejected because of the lack of such documentation and (b) accepted because they had been informed by the Crofters Commission that relevant alternative income information could be submitted in place of the missing documentation and had submitted such alternative information.

Michael Russell: This is an operational matter for the Crofters Commission, which administers the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme on behalf of Scottish ministers. I have asked the commission’s chief executive to write to you with the information you request.

Dentistry

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children aged three to five were registered with an NHS dentist in each of the last five years.

Shona Robison: Information on the number of children aged three to five registered with the NHS General Dental Service is available and is published at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=Reg_No1_Totals_Dec07_.xls&pContentDispositionType=attachment.

Dentistry

Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to invest in dental services for residents on the Isle of Cumbrae.

Shona Robison: Responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in an area rests with the NHS board. NHS Ayrshire and Arran have no current plans to establish a salaried dental service on the Isle of Cumbrae. The board’s community dental service does, however, provide a domiciliary visiting service to housebound and care home patients on the island.

Fire Safety

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether private homes providing bed and breakfast accommodation to the public qualify as domestic premises under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and not relevant premises under the provisions of the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 which include houses of multiple occupancy and care homes but not homes offering bed and breakfast accommodation.

Fergus Ewing: The answer requires interpretation of legislation which ultimately is a matter for the courts. However, the drafting intention was for the commercial or public areas of premises which are used for both domestic and non-domestic purposes to fall within the scope of "relevant premises" under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Private areas are regarded as domestic premises and are therefore largely exempt.

Fisheries

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-13395 and S3W-13396 by Richard Lochhead on 3 June 2008, why he stated in Safeguarding Our Fishing Rights: The Future of Quota Management and Licensing in Scotland - A Consultation Paper that "The Scottish Government is seeking to withdraw from the CFP", when it has no powers to do so.

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy would be compatible with continued membership of the European Union.

Richard Lochhead: We have always made clear that withdrawal from the CFP is a long-term objective, dependent upon independence. As an independent country, Scotland would be free to negotiate within the EU to withdraw from the CFP.

Fisheries

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-13395 and S3W-13396 by Richard Lochhead on 3 June 2008, in what ways an independent Scotland could pursue withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy.

Richard Lochhead: With independence the relevant reservations in the Scotland Act that currently prevent us from pursuing withdrawal would no longer apply.

Fisheries

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-13395 and S3W-13396 by Richard Lochhead on 3 June 2008, what legal advice it has received that indicates that an independent Scotland could pursue withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy.

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-13395 and S3W-13396 by Richard Lochhead on 3 June 2008, what legal advice it has received that indicates how an independent Scotland could pursue withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not reveal the content of legal advice it has received or whether legal advice has been sought in relation to any particular matter for reasons of confidentiality and good governance.

Fisheries

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy or negotiating accession to the European Union would take greater priority if Scotland became independent.

Richard Lochhead: The basis of the member’s question is inaccurate. An independent Scotland would continue to be part of the EU.

Flood Prevention

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the new flood defence scheme on the Clyde, Irvine and Kelvin rivers.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) launched a flood warning scheme for the Clyde, Irvine and Kelvin rivers in February 2007. This provides advance warning of fluvial flooding for up to 12,000 properties. SEPA liaise with the local authorities in these areas and Strathclyde Police to ensure flood warning procedures are tested and are appropriate. It also receives regular feedback on its live internet reports of flood forecasts, the flood early warning system, that are available to these organisations.

Flood Prevention

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many flood defence schemes or amendments are proposed under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 for the next five years and how many have been approved by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Michael Russell: At present, 12 flood prevention schemes have been confirmed and four have been submitted to the Scottish Government for confirmation under the 1961 act. It is open to the local authorities to submit further schemes for confirmation. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is a statutory consultee and has not made any objections to confirmation of these schemes.

Flood Prevention

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to hold a further public consultation on sustainable flood management and the way it will be implemented.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government has only recently finished consultation on the Flooding Bill, which contained a substantial section on the principles and objectives for sustainable flood management. The need for further public consultation will be considered as the Bill progresses.

Flood Prevention

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to introduce the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Bill.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government expects to introduce the Bill in September 2008.

Further Education

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by its Education and Training Directorate in conjunction with the Scottish Funding Council in their mapping study of further education provision for students with profound and complex needs.

Maureen Watt: The Lifelong Learning Directorate of the Scottish Government commissioned the BRITE Initiative to carry out a survey of Provision in Scotland’s Colleges for Learners with Profound and Complex Needs in January 2008.

  The survey is now complete and the report has just been submitted to the Scottish Government within the last few days. I will now consider the results of the report together with my officials and their colleagues in the Scottish Funding Council and I expect to publish the report shortly.

Higher Education

Tom McCabe (Hamilton South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to resolve the recent instability and uncertainty at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD).

Fiona Hyslop: Higher education institutions in Scotland are autonomous bodies, responsible for managing their own affairs. I have remained in contact with the situation at RSAMD and met John Wallace, the Principal of RSAMD on 22 May 2008. I received an assurance from him that the Academy is in a stable financial position and that remains the case today.

  The Scottish Funding Council is presently reviewing the levels at which drama is funded across Scotland. I fully support that work, which is being carried out in partnership with RSAMD, Queen Margaret University and other institutions which provide drama in Scotland. That review process will conclude in the autumn.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it expects its Affordable Housing Investment Programme will have on levels of affordable housing.

Stewart Maxwell: Over the next three years the government will provide investment of more than £1.5 billion for affordable housing. This will deliver more than 21,500 new and improved homes for rent and for low cost home ownership across Scotland, helping to ease supply pressures and to support regeneration, in line with nationally and locally agreed priorities.

Housing

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average Housing Association Grant per unit (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09.

Stewart Maxwell: The average Housing Association Grant per unit for 2007-08 was £80,410.

  There are no figures available for 2008-09 as these are compiled at the end of the financial year once projects have been approved.

  Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government will be providing investment of over £1.5 billion for affordable housing across Scotland. £493 million in 2008-09, £566 million in 2009-10 and £591 million in 2010-11. Taking into account the local government settlement this is 19% more than planned by the previous administration for 2005-08. Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government aims to deliver more than 21,500 new affordable homes nationally which is in line with levels of approvals achieved for 2005-08 despite increasing costs. These will be split 6,000 in 2008-09, 7,100 in 2009-10 and 8,400 in 2010-11.

Housing

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total Housing Association Grant allocation in Argyll and Bute (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09.

Stewart Maxwell: The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). In addition to Housing Association Grant, this includes grant mechanisms such as Rural Home Ownership Grant, Rural Empty Property grants, Grant for the Physical and Social Environment and Special Needs Capital grants. Housing Association Grant allocation is not recorded separately.

  The following figures are therefore AHIP allocation to Argyll and Bute for 2007-08 and 2008-09.

  

Year
Allocation


2007-08
£17.675 million


2008-09
£14.757 million



  Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government will be providing investment of over £1.5 billion for affordable housing across Scotland. £493 million in 2008-09, £566 million in 2009-10 and £591 million in 2010-11. Taking into account the local government settlement this is 19% more than planned by the previous administration for 2005-08. Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government aims to deliver more than 21,500 new affordable homes nationally which is in line with levels of approvals achieved for 2005-08 despite increasing costs. These will be split 6,000 in 2008-09, 7,100 in 2009-10 and 8,400 in 2010-11.

Housing

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average Housing Association Grant allocation per unit in Argyll and Bute (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09.

Stewart Maxwell: The information on average Housing Association Grant allocation per unit for Argyll and Bute for 2007-08 and 2008-09 is not available. The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of the Affordable Housing Investment. Programme. This is not broken down to an allocation per unit.

  Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government will be providing investment of over £1.5 billion for affordable housing across Scotland. £493 million in 2008-09, £566 million in 2009-10 and £591 million in 2010-11. Taking into account the local government settlement this is 19% more than planned by the previous administration for 2005-08. Over the period 2008-11, the Scottish Government aims to deliver more than 21,500 new affordable homes nationally which is in line with levels of approvals achieved for 2005-08 despite increasing costs. These will be split 6,000 in 2008-09, 7,100 in 2009-10 and 8,400 in 2010-11.

Housing

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total Housing Association Grant allocation in West Dunbartonshire (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09.

Stewart Maxwell: The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). In addition to Housing Association Grant, this includes grant mechanisms such as Rural Home Ownership Grant, Rural Empty Property grants, Grant for the Physical and Social Environment and Special Needs Capital grants. Housing Association Grant allocation is not recorded separately.

  The following figures are therefore AHIP allocation to West Dunbartonshire for 2007-08 and 2008-09.

  

Year
Allocation


2007-08
£10.350 million


2008-09
£7.835 million



  Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government will be providing investment of over £1.5 billion for affordable housing across Scotland. £493 million in 2008-09, £566 million in 2009-10 and £591 million in 2010-11. Taking into account the local government settlement this is 19% more than planned by the previous administration for 2005-08. Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government aims to deliver more than 21,500 new affordable homes nationally which is in line with levels of approvals achieved for 2005-08 despite increasing costs. These will be split 6,000 in 2008-09, 7,100 in 2009-10 and 8,400 in 2010-11.

Housing

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average Housing Association Grant allocation per unit in West Dunbartonshire (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09.

Stewart Maxwell: The information on average Housing Association Grant allocation per unit for West Dunbartonshire for 2007-08 and 2008-09 is not available. The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of the Affordable Housing Investment. Programme. This is not broken down to an allocation per unit.

  Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government will be providing investment of over £1.5 billion for affordable housing across Scotland. £493 million in 2008-09, £566 million in 2009-10 and £591 million in 2010-11. Taking into account the local government settlement this is 19% more than planned by the previous administration for 2005-08. Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government aims to deliver more than 21,500 new affordable homes nationally which is in line with levels of approvals achieved for 2005-08 despite increasing costs. These will be split 6,000 in 2008-09, 7,100 in 2009-10 and 8,400 in 2010-11.

Housing

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of development funding for housing (a) was for 2007-08 and (b) is for 2008-09, broken down by local authority.

Stewart Maxwell: The development funding programme is now know as the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AIHP). The grant allocation figures for AIHP for 2007-08 by local authority area is set out in the following table. Planned expenditure for 2008-09 by local authority area is set out in the answer to question S3W-13606 on 30 May 2008. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government will be providing investment of over £1.5 billion for affordable housing across Scotland. £493 million in 2008-09, £566 million in 2009-10 and £591 million in 2010-11. Taking into account the local government settlement this is 19% more than planned by the previous administration for 2005-08. Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government aims to deliver more than 21,500 new affordable homes nationally which is in line with levels of approvals achieved for 2005-08 despite increasing costs. These will be split 6,000 in 2008-09, 7,100 in 2009-10 and 8,400 in 2010-11.

  

Local Authority Development Programme
AHIP Programme 2007-08 
Grant Allocation*


Highlands and Islands
 


Highland
36.325


Orkney
6.000


Shetland
3.800


Western Isles
6.500


Total
52.625


Grampian
 


Aberdeenshire
16.508


City of Aberdeen
6.767


Moray
9.525


Total
32.800


Tayside and Forth Valley
 


Angus
5.714


City of Dundee
12.250


Perth and Kinross
15.270


Clackmannanshire
3.500


Falkirk
7.366


Stirling
10.724


Total
54.824


Lothian, Borders and Fife (excluding City of Edinburgh)
 


East Lothian
5.600


Fife
21.545


Midlothian
4.580


The Scottish Borders
7.200


West Lothian
10.220


Total
49.145


City of Edinburgh
36.100


South and West Scotland
 


Dumfries and Galloway
12.767


East Ayrshire
11.533


North Ayrshire
10.281


North Lanarkshire
23.961


South Ayrshire
6.674


South Lanarkshire
19.284


Total
84.500


Argyll and Clyde
 


Argyll and Bute
17.675


West Dunbartonshire
10.350


East Dunbartonshire
5.800


Inverclyde
23.565


Renfrewshire
17.096


East Renfrewshire
4.775


Total
79.261


Glasgow
83.000


GHA
68.400


LIFT: Shared Equity Open Market Pilot
30.000


Mortgage to Rent
10.000


Other Programmes including NHP Debt Servicing
3.836


Total
584.491



  Note: *The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of AHIP. In addition to funding for housing, this includes other grant mechanisms such as grant for the physical and social environment associated with housing developments.

Housing

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated for investment in affordable houses for rent in the Dundee City Council area in each year since 2004-05, also showing the allocations in real terms.

Stewart Maxwell: The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). In addition to the provision of affordable housing for rent this includes an allocation for grant mechanisms providing low cost home ownership and grants for the physical and social environment. The allocation for affordable housing for rent is not recorded separately.

  The table below provides details of the allocation of AIHP in Dundee City Council area since 2004-05.

  

Financial Year
AHIP Allocation
Real Terms


2004-05
£6.952 million
£7.759 million


2005-06
£10.000 million
£10.926 million


2006-07
£10.000 million
£10.635 million


2007-08
£12.250 million
£12.618 million


2008-09
£7.766 million
£7.766 million



  Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government will be providing investment of over £1.5 billion for affordable housing across Scotland. £493 million in 2008-09, £566 million in 2009-10 and £591 million in 2010-11. Taking into account the local government settlement this is 19% more than planned by the previous administration for 2005-08. Over the period 2008-11, the Scottish Government aims to deliver more than 21,500 new affordable homes nationally which is in line with levels of approvals achieved for 2005-08 despite increasing costs. These will be split 6,000 in 2008-09, 7,100 in 2009-10 and 8,400 in 2010-11.

Housing

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated for investment in affordable houses for rent in the Angus Council area in each year since 2004-05, also showing the allocations in real terms.

Stewart Maxwell: The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). In addition to the provision of affordable housing for rent this includes an allocation for grant mechanisms providing low cost home ownership and grants for the physical and social environment. The allocation for affordable housing for rent is not recorded separately.

  The table below provides details of the allocation of AIHP in Angus Council area since 2004-05.

  

Financial Year
AHIP Allocation
Real Terms


2004-05
£2.228 million
£2.487 million


2005-06
£4.000 million
£4.370 million


2006-07
£4.000 million
£4.254 million


2007-08
£5.714 million
£5.885 million


2008-09
£3.890 million
£3.890 million



  Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government will be providing investment of over £1.5 billion for affordable housing across Scotland. £493 million in 2008-09, £566 million in 2009-10 and £591 million in 2010-11. Taking into account the local government settlement this is 19% more than planned by the previous administration for 2005-08. Over the period 2008-11 the Scottish Government aims to deliver more than 21,500 new affordable homes nationally which is in line with levels of approvals achieved for 2005-08 despite increasing costs. These will be split 6,000 in 2008-09, 7,100 in 2009-10 and 8,400 in 2010-11.

Housing

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated for investment in affordable houses for rent in the Lothians parliamentary region in each financial year since 2004-05, broken down by local authority area and also expressed in real terms.

Stewart Maxwell: The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). In addition to the provision of affordable housing for rent this includes an allocation for grant mechanisms providing low cost home ownership (LIFT) and Grants for the Physical and Social Environment. The allocation for affordable housing for rent is not recorded separately.

  Information is collated only by local authority area. The figures for the Lothians area are as follows:

  

 
2004-05
Allocation Total
2004-05
Allocation Real Terms
2005-06
Allocation Total
2005-06
Allocation Real Terms
2006-07
Allocation Total
2006-07
Allocation Real Terms


East Lothian 
1.866
2.083 
2.921
 3.192
4.981
5.297 


Midlothian 
1.169
 1.305
1.925
 2.103
2.542
 2.703


West Lothian 
4.027
 4.495
5.976
 6.529
7.108
 7.559


Total
7.062
7.883
10.822
11.824
14.631
15.559


City of Edinburgh
18.527
 20.678
37.500
 40.973
36.100
 38.391



  

 
2007-08
Allocation Total
2007-08
  Allocation Real Terms
2008-09
  Allocation Total
2008-09
Allocation Real Terms


East Lothian 
5.600
5.768 
4.400
4.400


Midlothian 
4.580
 4.717
3.400
3.400


West Lothian 
10.220
 10.527
6.600
6.600


Total
20.400
21.012
14.400
14.400


City of Edinburgh
36.100
 37.183
36.100
36.100

Housing

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13606 by Stewart Maxwell on 30 May 2008, how many homes it expects to be built in each local authority area in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 under the provisional allocation of Housing Association Grant.

Stewart Maxwell: The following table provides details of the number of homes currently expected to be approved for construction through the Affordable Housing Investment Programme in 2008-09. Details of the proposed unit approvals for 2009-10 and 2010-11 will be available nearer the time.

  The Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP) includes the provision of affordable housing for rent and for low cost home ownership (LIFT).

  

Local Authority Development Programme
Units 2008-09
Planned Total


Highlands and Islands
 


Highland
352


Orkney
83


Shetland
30


Western Isles
38


Total
503


Grampian
 


Aberdeenshire
69*


City of Aberdeen
0*


Moray
146*


Total
215


Tayside and Forth Valley
 


Angus
37


City of Dundee
196


Perth and Kinross
159


Clackmannanshire
55


Falkirk
48


Stirling
75


Total
570


Lothian, Borders and Fife (excl City of Edinburgh)
 


East Lothian
43


Fife
200


Midlothian
46


The Scottish Borders
82


West Lothian
88


Total
459


City of Edinburgh
600


South and West Scotland
 


Dumfries and Galloway
115


East Ayrshire
51


North Ayrshire
81


North Lanarkshire
100


South Ayrshire
52


South Lanarkshire
175


Total
574


Argyll and Clyde
 


Argyll and Bute
128


West Dunbartonshire
200


East Dunbartonshire
70


Inverclyde
150


Renfrewshire
26


East Renfrewshire
45


Total
619


Glasgow
1,450


GHA
410


LIFT: Shared Equity Open Market Pilot
520


Mortgage to Rent
150


Total
6,070



  *Note: One thousand, five hundred and sixty-three houses were approved in a four year programme for the Devanha group of local RSLs starting in 2007. This covers all planned starts in Aberdeen City in 2008-09 and most planned starts in Aberdeenshire and Moray in 2008-09.

Housing

Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Housing Association Grant has been allocated to East Lothian in each year since 1999-2000.

Stewart Maxwell: The grant allocation at the beginning of each financial year is a single figure which includes provision for all relevant elements of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). In addition to the provision of affordable housing for rent to housing associations, this figure includes an allocation for grant mechanisms providing low cost home ownership and grants for the physical and social environment. The allocation for affordable housing for rent is not recorded separately.

  AHIP funding allocated to East Lothian is as detailed in the following table.

  

Year
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


£ million
1.866
2.921
4.981
5.600
4.400



  Note: For years 1999-2000 to 2003-04, the funding allocated to East Lothian is not held consistently. For 2007-08, the figure for includes £0.700 million of Housing Estate Regeneration Funding.

Life Expectancy

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the life expectancy at birth has been in the last period for which information is available, broken down by (a) gender and (b) Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation decile.

Shona Robison: Estimates of life expectancy at birth, broken down by gender and Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), are published by the General Register Office for Scotland. The most recent period for which estimates are available is 2004-06.

  Life expectancy in Scotland, broken down by gender:

  http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data/life-expectancy/life-expectancy-at-scotland-level.html (see table 1).

  Life expectancy in Scotland, broken down by SIMD:

  http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/publications-and-data/life-expectancy/life-expectancy-in-special-areas-2004-2006/life-expectancy-in-special-areas-2004-2006-tables.html (see table 7).

Ministerial Cars

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what limitations it has imposed on ministerial car usage, in light of the current cost of fuel and whether ministers have been given guidance regarding increased use of public transport for official visits.

John Swinney: Travel is always made with a view to supporting the efficient conduct of government business. Wherever practicable cabinet secretaries and ministers use public transport and walk to their engagements. 8,243 car journeys were taken by Scottish ministers and law officers between the period 16 May 2007 to 31 March 2008, this compares with a total of 8,931 car journeys during the comparable period in the previous year. This is a reduction of 7.7% over the period.

Ministerial Visits

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a change in protocol since May 2007 regarding the advance notification of constituency and list MSPs and MPs of ministerial visits by Scottish ministers.

John Swinney: There has been no change in protocol.

Ministerial Visits

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether MPs are given advance notification of ministerial visits by Scottish ministers to their constituencies.

John Swinney: Yes. Advance notification of a ministerial visit is issued by ministerial private office staff to MSPs and MPs for the relevant Scottish and UK parliamentary constituencies.

Ministerial Visits

Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all official visits made by ministers, including the First Minister, from 17 May 2007 to 31 May 2008, broken down by (a) date of visit, (b) constituency visited, (c) purpose of visit and (d) other organisations involved and showing the date on which the (i) constituency MSP, (ii) constituency MP and (iii) regional MSPs were notified of each visit.

John Swinney: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Non-Profit Distributing Model

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in discussions with COSLA on taking forward Audit Scotland’s recommendations for a new policy and financial strategy for future school investment.

John Swinney: Preliminary discussions have taken place between Scottish Government officials and official representatives of COSLA and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland. These discussions will now help inform decisions to be made on the way ahead for the Scottish Government and councils.

Prison Service

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve investment in prison education.

Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is currently undertaking work to look at the broad spectrum of learning provision to offenders, from those on community sentences as well as for those in custody.

  The aim of this work is to consider where we could improve the learning offer to offenders, aligning it more closely with mainstream provision in order that offenders can be supported to make more successful transitions back into society.

Public Services

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the recommendations in the Crerar Review, The Report of the Independent Review of Regulation, Audit, Inspection and Complaints Handling of Public Services in Scotland , are being accepted; will be implemented, and on what dates.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s response to the Crerar Review was published in January 2008. The response deals with each of the 42 review recommendations and makes clear that 30 have been accepted in full for implementation. The response identifies a further five recommendations which have been accepted in principle, pending consideration of the practicalities in more detail. The remaining seven recommendations required further work before a view could be reached on acceptance and implementation by government.

  On dates, some recommendations have already been implemented, while others require legislation, or rely on detailed work being undertaken with delivery partners and so will take longer to achieve. This government is determined to make progress as quickly as possible, but has listened to the advice given in Parliament on the need for caution and consideration on changes which could impact on vulnerable service users.

Rail Safety

Dave Thompson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to improve the safety of level crossings for blind and partially sighted people.

Stewart Stevenson: Railway safety is a matter which is reserved to Westminster.

  Network Rail is legally responsible for operating level crossings with the lowest practical risk to all users and they chair the National Level Crossing Safety Group as part of the process of exercising their duty of care.

  One of the members of that group is the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee who advises Network Rail on what measures they should put in place to make level crossings safer for blind and partially sighted people.

Regeneration

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what priority will be given to town centre regeneration over the next three years.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is clear that in order to increase sustainable economic growth across the whole of Scotland we need to work across all settlements, supporting regeneration in and building a sustainable future for our towns, villages and cities.

Regeneration

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the £12.5 million budget allocated over the next three years for urban regeneration companies, referred to at the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee on 21 May 2008 ( Official Report c. 798) is fully committed or whether there be capacity for new bids.

Stewart Maxwell: The funding referred to is Scottish Enterprise’s budget for supporting urban regeneration companies (URCs) over the next three years. This budget is fully committed to support existing Pathfinder URCs and there will be no capacity for new bids.

Respite Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional weeks of respite care were made available in each local authority area in 2007-08.

Shona Robison: Audit Scotland publishes information on respite provided by each local authority annually on its website at  http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/performance/service/ .

  Figures for 2007-08 are due to be published at the end of this year.

Respite Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional weeks of respite care will be made available in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

Shona Robison: As the member is aware, our concordat with local government included a commitment to make progress towards an additional 10,000 respite weeks per annum. This commitment relates to the period the member refers to in her question.

  We are working closely with COSLA to agree delivery of this commitment.

Scottish Arts Council

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the chairman of the Scottish Arts Council and what issues were discussed.

Linda Fabiani: My last formal meeting with Richard Holloway was on the 16 of April, when we discussed the establishment of Creative Scotland.

Scottish Government

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-13514 and S3W-13394 by Nicola Sturgeon and Richard Lochhead on 4 and 5 June 2008 respectively, why it is not appropriate to indicate in these instances whether legal advice was sought but it was appropriate for the First Minister to state on 7 June 2007 that "I consulted the Lord Advocate for advice on the significant legal matters involved yesterday" ( Official Report c. 588).

Nicola Sturgeon: The First Minister’s statement on 7 June 2007 referred to advice sought from the Lord Advocate in her capacity as the independent head of the system of prosecution in Scotland. The two parliamentary questions referred to asked about legal advice given to the Scottish Government and it remains the convention that the Scottish Government does not disclose either the fact that legal advice has been sought or the content of any legal advice.

Smoking

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate it has made of what percentage of adults who smoke resided in the NHS Highland area and its constituent Community Health Partnership areas in each of the last two years.

Shona Robison: The official source of statistics on smoking prevalence amongst adults is the Scottish Household Survey. This survey is not designed to be representative at NHS board level, so smoking prevalence figures at this level of geography should be interpreted with caution. Based on the most recent two years of results available from this survey, adult smoking prevalence in the NHS Highland area was 21% in 2007 and 25% in 2006.

  Estimates of smoking prevalence in the Community Health Partnership areas within NHS Highland are only available for the two year sample 2003-04. These figures, and other supporting information, are published in An Atlas of Tobacco Smoking in Scotland at:

  http://www.scotpho.org.uk/home/Publications/scotphoreports/pub_tobaccoatlas.asp.

Special Advisers

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times its special advisers have used government cars from its car pool and how much the service has cost since May 2007.

John Swinney: None.

Special Advisers

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times its special advisers have travelled unaccompanied in ministerial cars since May 2007.

John Swinney: None. Special advisors do not have an entitlement to use the cars operated by the Government Car Service unless accompanying someone who has that entitlement.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how and when it will distribute its planned £12.748 million of efficiency savings over the next three years from the SAAS Eligibility budget line.

Fiona Hyslop: The planned efficiency savings of £2.156 million in 2008-09, £4.265 million in 2009-10 and £6.327 million in 2010-11 have already been factored and redistributed into the relevant budgets as part of last year’s spending review. These efficiencies have contributed to new investments set out in the Scottish budget for student support including: additional support for part-time students; abolishing the graduate endowment fee; and £30 million to aid the transition from loans to grants in 2010-11.

Student Finance

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent providing new-lend student loans and how much was received from student loan repayment in each of the last three years.

Fiona Hyslop: The amount advanced in new student loans through the Student Loans Company and the amounts received in repayment have been published on 12 June 2008 at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Lifelong-learning/PubStudentLoansHE.

  The relevant figures are reproduced in the following table.

  

Financial Year
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08*


Amount lent (£ million)
199.8
197.6
212.8


Amount repaid (£ million)
49.8
51.5
59.0



  Source: Student Loans Company.

  Note: *2007-08 are provisional figures

  I have explained in the answer to S3W-13951 on 18 June 2008, how much it costs the Scottish Government to lend each pound of student loan. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Teachers

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific arrangements are in place for local authorities to maintain teacher numbers in the face of falling school rolls, as set out in the concordat with local government.

Maureen Watt: Local government will receive a record funding settlement of £34.9 billion over the spending review period, halting the recent decline in local government’s share of the Scottish budget. Under the terms of the concordat local government is able to retain efficiency savings in order to meet local priorities and the substantial reduction in ring fencing allows local government more control over how it uses its resources. Sufficient funding has been provided for authorities to maintain teacher numbers.

  The Scottish Government has increased the number of teachers being trained in Universities which now have the capacity and resources to train enough new teachers to replace all of those who retire.

  Demographic changes and the reduction in class sizes in P1 to P3 will require accommodation alterations in some schools and the substantial increase in the capital funding available to local authorities together with the increased flexibility of its deployment should allow authorities to prioritise such investment.

Voluntary Sector

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which reports on the third sector will be published in 2008, also giving an indicative timeframe for the publication of each report.

John Swinney: We expect to publish or support publication of a number of reports which relate specifically to the third sector during 2008. These include:

  Enterprising Third Sector Action Plan, published 18 June 2008;

  Health Case Studies, published by Senscot, April 2008;

  Social Enterprise Business Models: An Introduction to Replication and Franchising, to be published by CEiS, Summer 2008;

  Evaluation of the Futurebuilders Scotland Funding Programme - Social Research, Summer 2008;

  Scoping Study: Support for Social Enterprise Start-Ups - Social Research, Summer 2008;

  Business Development Needs of Social Enterprises in Lowland Scotland, to be published by Rocket Science, Summer 2008, and

  Social Enterprise Activity in Key Market Areas in Scotland, to be published by Rocket Science, Summer 2008.

  However, third sector activity contributes to government priorities across portfolio responsibilities and directorates. This means that the sector’s roles and contributions will be considered in numerous reports during the year.

Waste Management

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much food waste was generated in Scotland in each of the last five years.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not hold accurate data on total food waste arisings in Scotland in each of the last five years. However, the amount of household food waste generated in Scotland is estimated by Waste Aware Scotland’s "Love Food, Hate Waste Campaign" to be 587,000 tonnes per year. In addition to that figure, data is collected by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) about commercial and industrial (C&I) food waste.

  Waste Data Digest 7 indicates that the food and drink sector produced 430,000 tonnes of waste in 2005. SEPA is working to improve the quality of C&I waste data.

Water Charges

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many charitable and voluntary organisations which qualify for exemption from water and waste water charges under the Water Charges Exemption Scheme have been sent invoices by Business Stream for nil amount water and waste water charges for 2008-09.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive why charitable and voluntary organisations which qualify for exemption from water and waste water charges under the Water Charges Exemption Scheme have been sent invoices by Business Stream for nil amount water and waste water charges for 2008-09.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of producing and sending invoices, issued by Business Stream, for nil amount water and waste water charges for 2008-09 to charitable and voluntary organisations which qualify for exemption from water and waste water charges under the Water Charges Exemption Scheme.

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issued to Scottish Water or Business Stream regarding the issuing of invoices for nil amount water and waste water charges for 2008-09 to charitable and voluntary organisations which qualify for exemption from water and waste water charges under the Water Charges Exemption Scheme.

Stewart Stevenson: With the recent opening of the retail market to competition, billing of non-household customers is entirely an operational matter for retail services providers in this case Scottish Water’s retail subsidiary, Business Stream.

  We understand, however, that nil rated bills are issued to customers who are exempt from paying for their water services. This is to maintain contact with these customers, encouraging them to advise the retail services provider should their circumstances, and therefore their eligibility for the scheme, change. We also understand that costs associated with billing these customers are minimal.

Wind Farms

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to undertake research into the possible effects on fungi, invertebrates and the structures of soil or peat of vibrations arising from wind turbine support structures.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government commissions research on a range of issues across our policy areas. A key strategy for developing our research programmes is the environment biology and agriculture research strategy 2005-10. The work programme on environment - land use and rural stewardship has a number of work packages, two of which are dedicated to research on Scottish soils. The link attached provides further details of the programme.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research/15597/23153.

  One area of research focuses on the management of soils to enhance function and value. Research outputs will include the prediction of land-use change upon soils, the consequences for soil functions and provision of recommendations on the protection of soil biodiversity. The second area of research focuses on establishing risk-based methodologies to assess soil quality and includes the development of indicators of soil health and function, as well as the development of methods for soil monitoring. Both these areas of research are being undertaken by the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute.

  Additionally the Scottish Government has commissioned a project to calculate the carbon savings from wind farms on Scottish organic soils, particularly peatlands, the contractor is the University of Aberdeen.

  Currently there is no further research planned on soils in relation to vibration impacts.